Lantana camara L.

Aromatic shrub; stems upright to spreading, or almost scrambling to c. 2–(3) m high, usually with recurved prickles. Petioles to 2 cm long. Lamina 3–13 × 1.5–7 cm, ovate or oblong-ovate, crenate or crenate-serrate, densely hispidulous or scabrid above, the hairs usually dense but soft below; glandular scales minute; base cuneate to subcordate; apex acute to short-acuminate. Infls corymbose; fls fragrant. Peduncles 3–10 cm long, moderately slender; bracts 1/4–3/4 length of corolla tube, linear-lanceolate, densely hairy but eglandular. Calyx 1.5–2.5 mm long, ciliate. Corolla densely puberulent outside; tube c. 1 cm long, narrow-cylindric; limb 6–10–(14) mm diam., when fresh, rather flat except for ± recurved lobes, usually initially cream or pale yellow, changing to pink to rose, rarely deep yellow or orange. Drupe c. 5 mm diam., globular, black or blue-black.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Jan.–Dec.